Bryan, Frederick James “Fred” (1861-1935)
/John Quincy Reed’s Portrait Photograph of Fred Bryan
THE PHOTOGRAPHER/ PHOTOGRAPHIC STUDIO:
JOHN QUINCY REED was born in 1841 in Abington, Massachusetts and died in 1902 in Petaluma. He worked as a photographer in Petaluma for over 25 years, moving his studio within the community to several different locations. He arrived into Petaluma from Stockton in 1870 and continued to work as a photographer in Petaluma until at least 1898. Many of his portraits of Petaluma’s citizens are of exceptionally fine quality. (For additional information on this photographer and to view all portraits by him in the collection, click on his name in blue above.)
THE SITTER:
Name: Frederick James “Fred” Bryan
Description: In this cabinet card, Frederick James Bryan is wearing a tweed jacket and a stiff, high, white, collared shirt with a pin at the base of his tie. He is carefully groomed with short, oiled hair and a handlebar moustache.
Biographical Note: Frederick James Bryan was a witness in the murder case of Mrs. Nancy Meagher which took place in Petaluma between 1892 and 1894. In 1895 he was accidentally shot by his wife’s cousin who mistook him for a chicken thief, and in 1897 he almost lost his right foot in an accident while operating a self-binder.
Family Affiliation: Frederick James “Fred” Bryan was the son of California pioneers Thomas John Bryan (d.1882) and Elizabeth Hardin Bryan (1841-1924). His maternal grandmother, Agnes Asbury Hardin (1822-1889), lived and was buried in Petaluma. William Francis Bryan was his brother.
Bibliography:
THE PHOTOGRAPH:
Format / Size: cabinet card, approximately 10.75 x 16.5 cm
Medium: albumen photographic print mounted on cardstock
Description, front: This is a three-quarter head portrait of a young man with the photographer’s imprint along the bottom.
Description, back: Handwritten in cursive in pencil along the top is “Fred Bryan”.
Date: late 1870s to early 1880s
Condition: There is foxing and staining throughout this cabinet card.
Owner: Petaluma Historical Library & Museum, 1978-666-15
Reproduction rights: The Petaluma Museum Association makes no assertions as to ownership of any original copyrights to the digitized images here reproduced. These images are intended for personal or research use only. Any other kind of use, including, but not limited to commercial or scholarly publication in any medium or format, public exhibition, or use online or in a web site, may be subject to additional restrictions including but not limited to the copyrights held by parties other than the Association. USERS ARE SOLELY RESPONSIBLE for determining the existence of such rights and for obtaining any permissions and/or paying associated fees necessary for the proposed use.